Match 230 - Author: Jack Jordan

Banner: Jackson Morris

Smoke billowed from downtown Chicago, obscuring the canyon like Wacker Drive. The many large office buildings flanking it were unusually dark in the early afternoon, their occupants long since having fled the city in the wake of a new terror. Willis Tower, once bustling with tourist activity and office workers filing credit reports, now housed dozens of refugees. With the Chicago Police and Fire Departments now inoperative, the stranded and destitute of the city had turned to the largest, strongest building that they could think of for shelter. At first there were only a few, but that number had climbed exponentially in the first few days of the occupation as more desperate survivors sought to escape the streets. Protected yet trapped within the massive tower, these refugees laid low during the day, going out during the night to look for supplies. Only a handful would leave at a time, too afraid that any movement might attract the attention of the titan who now lorded over their city:

Megalon.

A godlike entity from a time before man, the creature was entirely alien to the modern age. Standing taller than many of the city’s buildings, it was an anomaly; its biology borrowing traits from both insects and bipeds. Its devilish head was crowned by a massive horn, the long silver appendage culminating in a star like tip. Beneath Megalon’s horn were two bulbous compound eyes, each one seemingly lit from within by a strange yellow light. Its large, razor sharp mandibles sat below them, periodically opening to release a shrieking cry across the city. It had a pair of orange and black cockroach-like wings that lay flat across its back and down to its spiky tail, beneath which were fan like wings. The fact that a creature the size and shape of Megalon could fly baffled scientists, but most puzzling of all were its strange “hands”. Both of Megalon’s arms terminated in a single metallic appendage which, when combined, formed a drill. The construction of the drill seemed impossible, capable of rotating 360 degrees when both halves were combined. When activated it could spin fast enough to effortlessly carve through rock and earth. How the drill worked and what powered it were just two of the many questions that could not yet be answered about Megalon.

Since the creature’s emergence in the days prior, Megalon had gone on a destructive rampage throughout the Midwestern United States, leveling any town or city that crossed its path. Unearthed by a mining operation in Montana, the monster sprung from its rocky home in a blast of lighting, obliterating the assembled miners and their machinery. As Megalon made his way into the Dakotas, the United States mobilized its military in an attempt to stop the monster. Deploying tanks and jets, the military hoped to stop the creature before it got any closer to a major population center. And as the monster began its trek across South Dakota, the military decided that the time to strike was now.

The attack was disastrous.

Bombarded by a combined land/air assault, the bewildered Megalon was initially cowed, covering its head with its drill hands. Concentrated M1 Abrams tank fire caused the creature to stumble as F16 Jets laid into it with their 30mm cannons and missiles from above. Fire and shrapnel went everywhere as the resulting explosions rang out louder than even Megalon could shriek. But when the first volley ended, Megalon discovered that it was unharmed! Emboldened by its survival, Megalon retaliated with lighting from its horn, the crackling yellow blast destroying a wing of F16’s before they could evade. Declaring a retreat, the tanks began to flee as the gigantic insect leaped around the battlefield crushing them beneath its large two-toed feet. Defeated but undeterred, the military decided to rethink its strategy against Megalon.

The next day AC-130’s rained fire down on Megalon’s head. Learning from the previous attack, the large planes were careful to stay out of the range of its horn lightning. Bewildered and in pain, Megalon combined its drill "hands" and burrowed into the ground. With no direct ability to attack the creature, the military resorted to tracking it in an effort to project its path. From South Dakota, the monster continued on a path directly for the most populated city in Illinois.

Evacuation plans were drawn up and put in to motion, but Megalon moved faster than bureaucracy. With more than half of the evacuation left to go, the great beast emerged in the suburbs. A full scale assault was made against the monster, but it could not be stopped. Decimating the assembled military forces and stranding hundreds of thousands of people, Megalon claimed its new home. Taking up residence in downtown Chicago, it dug tunnels beneath the surface as it constructed a burrow for itself in the remnants of one of largest cities in the United States.

Unable to strike the creature with any of its most powerful armaments so long as it was sitting on top of countless refugees, the United States military was powerless. And so it was with great anxiety that they discovered Megalon wasn’t the only monster within their borders.

Godzilla had returned.

After his appearance in 2014, and subsequent sightings all around the world since then, a proposal had been drafted in case of another MUTO incident. Because the creatures had lured Godzilla from his ocean home, it was proposed that satellite surveillance be conducted along the Pacific coast should another creature emerge. Megalon did not seem to feed on radioactivity like the MUTOs had, but the surveillance plan had been activated anyway. Within two days of Megalon’s revival, the craggy spikes of the monster king had broken the surface of the Pacific as he landed in Oregon, flooding the coast outside of Portland as he moved inland.

Mountainous in size, powerful nearly beyond imagining, Godzilla made his way out of the ocean with measured strides. He was ancient, but he had lost neither strength nor spirit since his last appearance. Pulling himself from the water, his long tail thrashing behind him, he let out a roar to announce his return. The challenge echoed across the city, rattling windows for miles around as he started marching east. Houses and small buildings were crushed beneath his short, powerful feet as he made his way off of the coast. Though he avoided entering Portland itself, there was much danger brought about by his presence. Aside from the flooding caused by the tidal wave there were also numerous car crashes, medical emergencies, and other accidents caused in his wake. Undeterred, Godzilla carried on toward his destination with a stoic look on his short snout.

Despite the danger, he attracted voyeurs from hundreds of miles around. Local and state police were called on to set up road blocks miles in advance of his passing as risk adverse people tried to catch a glimpse of the majestic creature on his journey. New channels aired an almost constant stream of new eye witness footage, from his on shore arrival to the steady path he was making through the wilderness. Photos of crushed houses, crashed cars, and flooded neighborhoods were broadcast at intervals as the media began to demand a response from the government. With authorization from the President, the United States military laid into Godzilla at every chance they could. Bombs and missiles rained down on Godzilla, but the massive creature ignored the attacks made against him. The strikes escalated until he finished crossing Montana, when the ineffectiveness of weapons against him could be denied no longer.

With disaster zones in every state that he entered, the president declared a nationwide state of emergency. Martial law was enacted in the path of Godzilla, with mandatory evacuations and relief efforts enacted. As tanks and soldiers formed protective blockades around Midwestern cities, the government decided to see just where Godzilla was heading. Deploying an extensive fleet of drones backed up by satellite observation, the king of the monsters was placed under surveillance. The creature did not seem to mind the tiny robotic devices as he stomped across the United States, each one gathering hours of footage of him while his observers charted his speed and direction. By their estimates, Godzilla’s arrival in Chicago was imminent.

Experts and generals were called in as the President tried to determine the best course of action. It wasn’t the 1950’s anymore; a nuclear strike on US soil would not be tolerated. In addition, Godzilla seemed entirely motivated by the presence of Megalon. His course never wavered, his speed never changed. Experts from MONARCH agreed that after Godzilla had dealt with Megalon he would return to the ocean. But could he defeat Megalon? And if he did what destruction would he cause on his way back? Could Megalon be lured from the city? How? Question after question built up in the pentagon, but no answers seemed forthcoming.

With their government unable to come to a swift decision, the people of Illinois watched as Godzilla marched through the suburbs of Chicago just over two days after his arrival on the west coast. Crushing buildings and warehouses beneath his feet as he walked, Godzilla expanded his senses as he looked for his prey. He could smell the creature now, a scent not unlike the earth itself. But beneath the scent of dirt and rock was a rotten smell, like bog water or spoiled meat. For the first time since arriving on shore, Godzilla slowed his pace. Holding himself lower to the ground, he stalked into the city of Chicago.

Across town, Megalon slumbered. Its large compound eyes glowed dimly as it slept, antennae twitching as it dreamed its strange dreams of hunger and conquest. Resting inside the cavernous hull of the toppled Federal Building, Megalon had not stirred in nearly a day. Since it had been awakened to this strange new world, Megalon had quickly searched to expand its territory and find safety from the new pests it had encountered. And with food and protection aplenty in this new burrow it had constructed for itself, Megalon had no intentions of returning to the earth’s depths again.

The sound of breaking glass set Megalon’s antennae twitching. A tremor ran through the earth, just hard enough to send a pane of glass spinning down from the building’s artificial ceiling to the ground below it. There was a brief pause, then another tremor. Alertness returned to Megalon’s golden eyes as they began to glow brightly once more. Another creature might have missed the tremors as they occurred, but Megalon was born to live beneath the surface of the Earth. To its carefully attuned senses the steady footsteps were like alarms, each one a warning of the approach of a massive creature. Megalon’s mandibles clicked together as the tremors grew stronger and closer. With a sudden surge of adrenaline, Megalon sprang up from the ground, crashing through its building hideaway in a shower of concrete and steel. With an echoing cry, it turned in the dust cloud, bringing its metal forearms together with an ear shattering sound.

As the dust settled, Megalon’s compound eyes studied its new enemy. Unlike the pests that had attacked it in the mountains, this creature was as big as it was. Bulky and covered in scaly, armored plates, this beast exuded a sense of power. But Megalon wasn’t without strength of its own. It raised its metallic arms in a warding stance, its wings spread wide behind it in a clear threatening display. If this creature wanted to take its new home, it would have to fight for it!

Godzilla, his stealthy approach ruined, stomped his left foot on the ground in front of him and roared. Long and loud the sound carried from his mighty jaws, and for a moment Megalon’s bravado faltered. Rising back to his full height, Godzilla’s face contorted into a sneer. He had lived too long to be cowed by a warning call from a creature such as this. He would show it just who should be afraid of whom!

With a powerful kick from his strong right leg, Godzilla charged toward the waiting Megalon, his tail whipping in the air behind him. Surprised by the sudden burst of speed, Megalon was overtaken by Godzilla in a matter of seconds. With a thunderclap, the two titans clashed! The heavier Godzilla caught Megalon by the arms, his claws digging into Megalon’s flesh as he bull-rushed the massive insect across town. Panicking at its sudden powerlessness, Megalon brought its head down to strike Godzilla, the large horn crashing down over his head in in a succession of blows. But Godzilla would not relinquish his hold, bringing the pair to a stop against the Chicago Board and Trade building. Ruthlessly the monster king pulled the creature downward and lunged at him with his toothy jaws wide, sinking his teeth into the soft flesh of Megalon’s neck. Putrid green liquid began to ooze from Megalon’s wounds as Godzilla began to shake his head back and forth like a wild dog, trying desperately to pull Megalon’s head from its body! But Megalon wasn’t done yet.

Spinning the drill-like appendages it had for hands, Megalon brought its arms up and across Godzilla’s chest in a shower of sparks as it dug trenches into Godzilla’s chest. The monster king relinquished his grip in a squeal of pain, pulling back from Megalon in shock. Seeing its enemy cowed, Megalon pushed the advantage, coming at Godzilla with a flurry of slashes. With each blow, armored flesh was pealed from Godzilla’s body, red blood trickling down his chest from the wounds. But Godzilla would give no ground, returning each spinning slash of Megalon’s drills with one of his own clawed assaults. Trading blows, the kaiju pair shook Chicago; with each impact, a tremor shook the earth. With each roar, glass shattered across the city. Back and forth the battled for supremacy, the raw power and experience of Godzilla against the outlandish but no less effective abilities of Megalon. The intensity of the attacks escalated until Godzilla raked his claws across Megalon's face in a massive strike, tearing the hard exoskeleton on its head and nearly puncturing its right eye.

Enraged, Megalon made a massive stabbing thrust with its drilled right hand in an attempt to drive the appendage into Godzilla’s heart! But Megalon was sloppy; the blow was telegraphed long before it came. With centuries of combat experience, Godzilla would capitalize on such a mistake. As Megalon made its move, Godzilla feinted right and kicked out with his left leg. With an audible pop, Megalon was hit hard in the knee. Crying out in pain, Megalon crashed to the ground as the forward momentum of its own attack betrayed it. Seizing the advantage, Godzilla utilized his superior weight and pined the gigantic insect to the ground with a mountainous body slam! Buildings across Chicago visibly shook and trembled from the impact as Godzilla crushed Megalon beneath him! Unable to escape, Megalon was helpless to defend itself from the blows raining down on its head from Godzilla’s mighty claws. With each slash and punch, the monster king elicited another cry of pain from the downed monster. Megalon’s struggles grew wilder with each impact; it kicked its legs and shrieked in defiance, but it could not lift Godzilla off of itself! Its drill hands, pinned between its body and Godzilla, could not cycle up to speed beneath the heavy king of the monsters! Panic began to overtake Megalon once more as its compound vision began to narrow and distort, the comparatively soft flesh of its eyes swelling and bursting from the pummeling it was taking. Its cries of pain echoed across the canyon like city for miles around.

His foe’s movement’s slowing down with every second, Godzilla lifted himself off of his opponent to finish the job. Planting his massive right foot down on Megalon’s chest, the king of the monsters roared down at his fallen foe. Megalon, eyes dim, lay still. Eyes narrowing, Godzilla stood up straight and began to inhale. From the tip of his tail, blue light began to emanate from within his spikey dorsal plates. Slowly, the light moved up his long tail and into the larger spikes along his back at a steady pace. The air around him wavered from the heat rolling off of his back as his body began to hum. Looking up at the sky, Godzilla seemed to almost savor his moment of victory as the blue fire raced up his back and into his mouth. In a single motion, he leaned down, mouth open to unleash his signature attack on the prone Megalon when suddenly, there was an explosion!

Megalon, regaining consciousness just before the attack could be completed, had called up a souvenir from its emergence to the modern world. Using dynamite and other explosives, the mining company had accidentally revealed its hidden resting place. A group of miners, thinking to be heroes after uncovering the monster, had tossed their explosives down at the beast below them while it was sluggish from its long slumber. But mighty Megalon had proven too much for them, surviving the worst of their attacks and consuming the explosives that they had attempted to destroy it with. Now having seeped in the strange stomach acids of the beast for more than a week, it launched them at Godzilla as a single projectile with incredible explosive potential!

The disgusting mass of weaponry and bile was aimed at Godzilla’s face, catching the King of the Monsters right between the eyes! With a massive explosion, the monster king let out a pained shriek as his eyes were temporarily blinded. Dazed, he releases his atomic breath down at Megalon, hoping to catch gigantic insect before it could recover. The bright blue beam struck the ground next to Megalon’s head in a spray of rock and smoke, digging into the concrete and earth. The heat alone was enough to cause the gigantic insect pain.

With a shriek of terror, Megalon rolled to its right, bringing its short tail up as it did. His vision not yet returned, Godzilla was taken by surprise and knocked to the ground. With a shriek of triumph, Megalon clapped its gigantic drill hands together in glee. Its victory was short lived though, as Godzilla’s vision returned. With vengeance in mind, the monster king lifted himself up on all four limbs and spun his body, extending his tail as he did. Unable to react in time, Megalon was struck by the long tail with such incredible force that it was knocked bodily off of its feet! Tumbling end over end, Megalon crashed into the 111 South Wacker building. The modestly sized 681’ tall building groaned with the impact before collapsing onto the stunned Megalon. As the building fell in, Godzilla got back on his feet and let out a roar, the sound even managing to rise above the crashing noise of the impromptu demolition.

Cautiously, Godzilla approached the rubble as the dust settled. Megalon had been completely buried by the remains of the 111 South Wacker building. Not even its horn could be seen sticking out of the rubble. Thinking that his opponent might have perished in the fall, Godzilla’s eyes widened as the destruction collapsed into a large pit! Bewildered, Godzilla gazed down into the hole, its walls pocked with the debris of the fallen building and leading down into darkness. With sudden insight, he turned in time to see Megalon emerge from the ground blocks away beside Chicago City Hall. The office building’s concrete and glass facade cracked with the emergence of Megalon, who turned to face its opponent once more with a loud shriek.

Answering with a roar of his own, Godzilla began to charge toward Megalon. However the emerging creature had a different idea for engaging its opponent. Leaning forward, electricity began to pulse up its horn as a lightning like bolt of energy sprang from the star tipped appendage! The golden bolt of energy closed the distance between the kaiju, striking Godzilla directly in the chest. With a cry of pain, Godzilla recoiled as an explosion of energy rocked his body. Pleased, Megalon clapped its metallic “hands” together once more before renewing its assault.

Lightning rained down around the King of the Monsters as he renewed his charge, the bolts blackening his flesh with each explosive impact. Buildings burst around him, showering stone and metal across the city as Megalon’s ray traveled up the street toward its target. Fires broke out, spreading from building to building as the two beasts battled. Cherenkov light arced up Godzilla’s spine as he ran, his fire building up in the back of his throat as he endured Megalon’s attack. With a mighty exhalation, Godzilla fired his atomic breath as he moved, the force of the blast slowing his forward travel. The beam of blue fire struck Megalon with devastating effect, washing over its body in a fiery spray. The radioactive beam burned through skin and hardened exoskeleton to the muscle and flesh beneath, eliciting cries of pain from the massive insect. It’s body smoking, Megalon began to smolder as the attack continued. Desperate for relief, Megalon fired its horn lightning again as Godzilla advanced.

The blasts struck Godzilla, inflicting painful wounds across his chest and stomach. Involuntarily he inhaled with the first hit, but his power was still ready. Resuming his forward course, Godzilla fired another blast of his atomic breath at his enemy as he closed the distance. Another wave of plasma washed over its head and Megalon knew it couldn’t take much more. Its armored exoskeleton was melted in multiple locations, revealing dark, vulnerable flesh beneath it. And despite the continued barrage, its opponent was not slowing down. If anything, the attack seemed to have encouraged him! Cutting its horn lightning off with a final blast, Megalon put its drilled hands together over its head. Alone the appendages were excellent bludgeons and slashing weapons, but together they were each one half of the most powerful drill in existence.

Spinning the drills in unison, Megalon aimed downward and, headfirst, began to drill. Concrete, steel, nothing could stop the incredible speed of the Omni-drill. Extinguishing his atomic breath, Godzilla poured on the speed to catch his opponent before it escaped. With thunderous footsteps, he raced across the battered Chicago streets. Not fast enough to get to his opponent, Godzilla watched as Megalon disappeared in a fountain of displaced dirt.

Digging through the earth, Megalon’s simple mind raced. In physical strength, Godzilla held the advantage, but if Megalon could pin him in some fashion, perhaps it would have a chance! Its drills had pierced his armor after all. And so Megalon began to dig around Godzilla, utilizing its tremor-sense to pinpoint his location. Dirt and smoke rose up from the ground as it dug its circle around the monster king. Buildings began to collapse in rows, their foundations giving way as huge tunnels appeared beneath them. The sound of the destruction drowned out everything, carrying across Lake Michigan and the suburbs for many miles.

Knowing that his foe was underground, Godzilla watched it as it circled. With each pass, the drilling monster’s path grew closer and closer to him. Unwilling to let himself be trapped, Godzilla watched Megalon circle a final time before making his move. Anticipating Megalon’s next position, Godzilla moved to intercept it there. With a sound of groaning, creaking earth, the streets gave way beneath Godzilla’s feet. Megalon, confused by its opponents maneuver, was caught by complete surprise as Godzilla came crashing down on top of it. The pair rolled together into the rapidly opening pit that was previously downtown Chicago. Over a half mile of the city suddenly fell inward with the collapse of Megalon's burrow into a massive crater. Dozens of buildings crashing down into the pit, burying Godzilla and Megalon beneath tons and tons of rubble.

Dust and smoke filled the air as the pair of kaiju lay pinned beneath the rubble. Moments passed before the ground began to stir. With an explosive spray of dirt and concrete, Megalon emerged! Its armor was broken and melted by Godzilla’s continuous attacks. One of its antennae had been torn off as it had been buried. Blood ran from its head, the wounds inflicted by Godzilla having come open again as it had fallen into the pit. With terrible fury, it cried out for blood, searching for its opponent.

As if in answer, Godzilla broke through the surface of the rubble. Still submerged to the waist, Godzilla appeared little worse for the wear than Megalon. Blood ran from his nose and he had torn the webbing of his right hand as he had tumbled into the pit. His armored body had protected him from most obvious harm, but he still felt the effects of the fall and being buried beneath thousands of tons of rubble. His movement was sluggish, his breathing labored as he attempted to pull himself fully from the wreckage.

Seeing its opponent rise again, Megalon attacked without warning, firing off a long stream of lightning from its horn. Godzilla had destroyed its home, had injured it, and made it afraid for its life. For that, Megalon would destroy him! Lightning arced up and down Godzilla’s back, burning his flesh and dorsal spikes. Relentless, Megalon advanced on its downed foe. It fired its lightning without pause, its drills spinning in anticipation. It could rebuild. It could make a new home anywhere. But first it would carve up this creature and feast on its remains!

Still buried in the wreckage, Godzilla was nearly helpless under Megalon’s continued blasts of horn lightning. His armored flesh sizzled and cracked under the onslaught of energy, his dorsal plates sparked and vented heat from the oncoming energy. As his foe advanced on him, Godzilla desperately tried to stand. But the lightning made his half-buried legs seize. He could not rise. Roaring in pain, he managed to make it to all 4’s just as Megalon arrived next to him. Its horn crackled with lightning and a murderous light glowed within its eyes. Its drill appendages were moving at full speed as it prepared to make the killing blow.

Furiously roaring, Godzilla used all of his strength to wrench his tail from the rubble. Like a whip, the air cracked as his tail broke the sound barrier on its way to Megalon’s head! Dust trailed from the long tail as it crashed into Megalon’s head, snapping off its horn without even slowing down. There was a sudden burst of light as the lightning, bereft of a focal point, exploded outward from Megalon. Electricity surged across both kaiju as Megalon dropped to the ground, shaking in pain. With the barrage finished, Godzilla pulled himself from the ground. Rubble fell off of his armored back as he stood over the fallen Megalon. His anger rising, Godzilla laid into Megalon with his powerful legs, stomping on the maimed creature again and again as it raised its drill hands in a vain attempt to ward off the kicks. Each impact brought up another cry of pain from the downed beast as its ribs strained and cracked beneath Godzilla's powerful blows. Roaring, Godzilla turned and attacked Megalon with his tail. The heavy appendage slammed into Megalon, whose left arm broke with a sickening snap. Squealing in pain, Megalon rolled with the blow, tumbling across the battleground before laying still.

Again Godzilla approached, his dorsal plates beginning to glow bright blue. Eyes brimming with anger, Godzilla stepped up to Megalon's still form, firmly planting his right foot on the gigantic insect’s chest with a hard thud. Taking a long deep breath, Godzilla was prepared to immolate his opponent when Megalon played its final trick.

Desperate to escape and in terrible pain from its destroyed horn and broken arm, Megalon spat out another bomb from its bleeding maw. Striking Godzilla in the mouth, the explosion knocked the king of the monsters off balance. With a surprised exhalation, Godzilla's atomic breath tore through the air, striking Willis tower. The plasma burned through the tower's upper floors in a burst of blue light, melting steel and vaporizing entire floors before Godzilla could stop the blast. Many refugees watching the battle from the building were instantly killed, with many more to follow as the tower began to burn.

His vision red with rage, his atomic breath ready in his throat, Godzilla regained his footing just in time to see Megalon's tail disappear into the ground. He loosed his atomic breath at the escaping creature, scorching the dirt and rubble around the creature, but it was too late. Despite incredible pain, the mighty Megalon had managed to assemble the Omni-drill and escape. The world above had grown more dangerous than it could have imagined since its last emergence. Barely escaping with its life, Megalon welcomed the darkness as it dug further and further away from its would be killer.

Cautiously Godzilla approached the hole. With no response from within, he roared down into it. The challenge carried down into the earth after his prey, a promise of death should it ever return.

There was no response.

Turning away from the burrow, Godzilla sighed. He was ready to rest. Carefully, he wove his way through the city as he approached Lake Shore Drive. In nearby Shed Aquarium, fish crashed against the glass of their enclosures and captive creatures made terrified sounds as the king of the monsters approached. He paid them no mind. Stepping into Lake Michigan, the rising waters overturned several docked yachts and rocked the Navy Pier. Without a backward glance, the King of the Monsters disappeared with barely a ripple as the cold waters embraced him.

Meanwhile, a stunned populace watched in equal parts horror and awe. For the second time Godzilla had invaded America. And this time, he was here to stay.